Your Role in the Future of Health Care This July 4th Recess

The future of health care in the United States will continue to be shaped by the hands and minds of Senate Republicans as our lawmakers head home for Congressional recess. If you’re like me, your mind has been focused on the holiday weekend for a few days now.

Before you get to your backyard cookouts and fireworks celebrations, here’s a run-down on what happened and what’s to come.

How did we get here? Senate GOP leaders intended to put the bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), to vote before the July 4th recess. The BCRA — released late last week — is a separate bill from the American Health Care Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives in May.

Why didn’t the vote happen? The release of the Congressional Budget Office’s report on how the bill would affect Americans and the U.S. economy led several Republican senators to announce they wouldn’t vote for the bill in its current form. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was forced to postpone a vote on the bill on Tuesday because he didn’t have the minimum 50 votes to pass it.

What happens next? Senate Republicans are currently working to make changes to the bill in an attempt to appease current GOP detractors. It’s expected that an updated version of the bill will be ready for a vote when senators return to D.C. after recess.

What can I do now? The fate of the bill can be directly affected by you during this critical moment when lawmakers will be home to celebrate our nation’s independence in their districts and states. They need to hear from you how you feel about this legislation right this minute.

Where do I start? Before you log off for the holiday, take a minute to build your knowledge and make plans to take action before the Senate goes back in session to vote on this highly consequential legislation. Here’s some information to get you on your way:

• Learn how the current bill would affect you, your family, and our nation (FactCheck.org)
• See how the bill would affect health insurance coverage in your state (CNN)
• Understand the state of play and what might happen next (NBC News)

How do I take action?

• Get in front of your senators right now. Head to their websites to see which public events they have scheduled and make an attempt to attend.
• Call or visit your senators’ local offices. Lawmakers know the gravity of their decision on this legislation — for their constituents and their political careers. Let them know how you want them to act.
• Keep up with the developments. Be sure to visit our blog to keep up with how you can continue to take action as the legislative debate carries on. 
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• Thank you Sister-Resister Fries for contributing this helpful article.